After success establishing express buses that defy traffic by switching to shoulder lanes on Interstate 55 and the Jane Addams Tollway, Pace is considering a three-peat along a route that would include parts of I-290 and I-88.
The suburban agency recently launched a I-290/I-88 Express Bus Study and survey. Planners will review the feasibility of putting buses on the corridors connecting the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station with destinations such as Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook and the Woodfield Mall area in Schaumburg.
Giving Pace drivers the ability to hop on shoulder lanes during rush-hour gridlock proved popular with I-55 and I-90 commuters, Executive Director Melinda Metzger said.
“By leveraging express bus service along I-290 and I-88, we have the opportunity to create a fast, frequent and more sustainable travel option for thousands of riders,” she noted.
“When we make our bus service faster than cars, when we make it simple, we see great growth in ridership.”
The study area also stretches out to Lisle along I-88.
Planners anticipate workers catching express buses from Forest Park and riding west on I-290 to job centers in Oak Brook and farther north in Schaumburg.
“We will be expanding opportunities for people to go to these locations and to use not only CTA, but Metra and Pace to get there faster,” Metzger said.
Gridlock on I-290 also could entice suburbanites to ditch their cars and take a CTA train downtown, Metzger explained.
“When traffic backs up, (buses) can go around it. We are the only carrier in the state of Illinois who is designated to use the shoulder. It also frees up space on the expressway,” she said.
Pace’s survey can be found at surveymonkey.com/r/I290BusStudySurvey, and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Feedback from riders is crucial to determining demand for the service and scheduling trips, officials said.
Pace is coordinating the project with the Illinois Department of Transportation. IDOT is planning improvements on I-290 and could enhance shoulder lanes to accommodate buses.
The state initiative is a few years off, so “it’s a perfect time for us to be launching this study,” Metzger said.
The original I-55 bus-on-shoulder program increased ridership by more than 700% and has a more than 90% on-time record, Pace reported.
Express buses typically have limited stops that can include CTA stations, Pace transit centers and park-and-ride lots.
“This market has proven to be successful for us and we’re continuing to look at places where we can put in express bus service,” Metzger said.
“The area out west in Kane County is growing dramatically also,” and Pace could consider extending the I-290/I-88 service if it gains traction.
Pace has formed a steering committee to advise and plans public forums in the coming months.
“We have to continue to be innovative and find things that work for people — and they’ll ride it, and it will give people opportunities to get to locations that they couldn’t get to before,” Metzger said.
IDOT spokeswoman Maria Castaneda said the I-290 project is included in the 2025-2030 highway program and contracts could be assigned in the early years depending on funding.
The proposed improvement would allow buses on the shoulder lanes between Lake-Cook Road and Forest Park, and “IDOT is closely coordinating with PACE,” Castaneda said.
Got a comment or question? Drop an email to mpyke@dailyherald.com. For more information, visit, pacebus.com/I-290-study.
Pace is conducting an I-290/I-88 express bus study. The service could link Forest Park, Oak Brook and Schaumburg. Here’s a map of the study area.
Courtesy of Pace
Pace is asking riders to weigh in on a potential express service along a I-290/I-88 corridor linking Forest Park, Oak Brook and Schaumburg.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
One more thing
Metra will host an open house from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to update plans for a new layover rail yard near Woodstock. Metra intends to consolidate its current Barrington and Crystal Lake rail yards into one larger facility. The forum is at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St.
Gridlock alert
Expect delays on Acorn Lane in Franklin Park as the Illinois tollway builds a major interchange for its latest corridor, I-490. The interchange will connect Franklin Avenue with I-490 and provide direct access to the Tri-State Tollway. Long-term lane closures on Acorn have started and will last throughout the year as part of advance work for the interchange.
